Prof. Bolin had a distinguished career having been appointed
as Professor of Meteorology at Stockholm University in 1961.
In 1974 he organized the first international conference
for the formulation and development of a World Climate Research
Programme (WCRP) which took shape and was launched in 1980.
Between 1985 and 1986 he served as Chairman for the ad hoc
committee which proposed the initiation by the International
Congress of Scientific Unions (ICSU) the International Geosphere
Biosphere Programme (IGBP), a study of global change, which
was launched by ICSU in 1986.

Prof. Bolin published about 170 scientific papers and books
in a wide range of fields, particularly making seminal contributions
in the field of meteorology and climate change. Even in
recent months when he was undergoing medical treatment and
suffered from a prolonged period of ill health, he published
a book entitled "A History of the Science and Politics
of Climate Change: The Role of the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change". He was a member of nine academies
of science round the world, and from 1983-86 was member
of the Scientific Advisory Board to the Swedish Government.
Between 1986 and 1988 he was Scientific Advisor to the Swedish
Prime Minister and to the Vice Prime Minister during 1988
to 1991.

On a personal note, I saw Prof. Bolin on December 12 in
Stockholm, when Mr Al Gore and I were invited to address
the Swedish Parliament. The Speaker of the Parliament and
the Swedish Prime Minister had rightly invited Prof. Bolin
on that occasion and gave him a seat right in front among
the Parliamentarians who attended that fully packed Assembly.
Earlier, we had invited him to receive the Nobel Peace prize
in Oslo on behalf of the IPCC as the founding Chairman of
the organization, but at the last minute he had to cancel
his plans, since he was much too unwell to make the trip.
He looked really frail when I saw him in Stockholm.

While all those who work in the field of climate change,
and particularly those associated with the IPCC will miss
him greatly, his legacy as a remarkable leader of scientific
endeavour would remain a source of inspiration to researchers
working in this general field and certainly to those who
work on the reports of the IPCC any time in the future.
His name will remain engraved in golden letters as a pioneer
whose work has made an enormous difference to the world.

On behalf of the IPCC I would like to convey my heartfelt
condolences to the members of Prof. Bolin's family.